CAWDOR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
held on Monday 24th May 2010 In Cawdor Community Centre
Present:
Committee MembersAdvisers
Brenda Shone - ChairmanCllr Roddy Balfour
Sally Smith - Bookings secretaryFiona Lewthwaite - Head Teacher
Fred Treadgold - Treasurer
Suzanne Docherty – Vice Chair
Julia Jerrett - Committee Member
Public Representatives
Wendy Wilson - Cawdor
Lynne Larby - Nairn Beekeepers
Debbie Campbell - CALA After School Club
Dianne Murray - Cawdor Brownies
Jane Semple - Cawdor SWRI
1.Apologies
Des McCulloch
George Wilson
Denise MacArthur - Rainbows
2.Minutes of Previous Meeting
The minutes of the AGM held on 18th May 2009 were approved.
Proposed-Julia Jerrett
Seconded-Wendy Wilson
3.Chairman’s Report
Cawdor Community Centre will be three years old this summer, and I feel it is now an established part of Community life. Our regular users, SWRI, Heritage, Guides, Brownies & Rainbows, Toddlers etc. continue to make use of the Centre, and the Out of School Club has grown since last year and is at almost full capacity. We continue to have one-off bookings. The SWRI held a one-day craft course in March of this year, and in April had their Nairn Group meeting with a chocolate making demonstration (which was very popular as you can imagine). The Polling Stationwas inhere on May 6th of course, and the Post Office Outreach Service is still here, until it moves to the new Cawdor Shop in a few weeks time. The Centre continues to be a popular venue for Birthday parties.
The Coffee Club has continued and is held about once a month and has proved reasonably popular. It is open to anyone who has an hour or so to spare and would like to come along have a chat, meet people and enjoy a cup of coffee. There are usually quizzes and puzzles and a raffle. Over the past few months we have donated the proceeds of the raffle to various charities that members of the Coffee Club have an interest in.
The Newsletter, which is issued on a quartlery basis, also continues with the next one due at the end of June. This is distributed around local businesses and is also available at the school. However, contributions are always needed to fill the pages so please get in touch if you have something you would like to say, or to advertise.
The year has not been without its difficulties, which is only to be expected, but there have been no major complications. We continue to have a good relationship with the School and I am very grateful for the support and advice given by Head Teacher Mrs. Fiona Lewthwaite.
I would like to thank Sally Smith, our Secretary and bookings clerk, and chief coffee maker for the Coffee Club, who is always more than willing to help in any situation. I would also like to thank Suzanne Docherty, our Vice Chairman, who produces the quarterly Newsletter, and Fred Treadgold who took over last year as Treasurer. Thanks must also go to Des McCulloch, who is a co-opted member of the Committee and looks after the website where all kinds of information can be found.
I would just like to finish my report with a plea, if anyone can spare a couple of hours once a month or so to come to our meetings and help us make decisions then please volunteer for a place on the committee, either as an elected member or a co-opted member.
4.Treasurer’s Report
The Balance Sheet shows the position at the end of our financial year, 31st March 2010.
Income from the hire of the premises was £3,171.30 and a small amount of interest, after tax, of £6.83. Expenditure for the year is £2,178.78. Taking into account some receipts outstanding the balance as at 30th April was £7,357.46.
The question of insurance for the equipment purchased by the Community Association had been raised, but the premiums were high and the Committee felt it was better to keep a sum of money back, perhaps in a separate interest paying account, to cover any breakages.
5.Booking Secretary's Report
We have had another good year for bookings, as well as our regular user groups which consist of: Bee Keepers, Body & Core, Brownies, Cala, Community Council, Guides, Heritage Group, Rainbows, SWRI, Toddlers and Aggregate Whist; we have had 12 children's parties, 4 successful sleepovers for the Brownies, Guides, Rainbows and Beavers, 2 elections (1 European and the General Election), the local MP and SMP have held a local surgery here. In addition there have been Council Ward Meetings and the River and Fishery Trust have held their local meetings here.
We have also had some private evening functions, such as the Inverness Falconers holding a three-course dinner in the main hall for 40 guests, and the Reel Easy Club held their annual get-together, having music and dance in the hall. During their tour of the Highlands the Screen Machine, the travelling cinema, used the centre's ground for 2 nights for the screen of various films.
We have helped local charities by allowing them to use the centre at no cost to raise funds, such as the Malawi Dreams and Teams, Christian Aid Week etc.
We have lost a regular user in Boxercise as the leader now runs the Nairn Sports Centre. At the end of June the Post Office outreach service will be moving to the new Village Store.
The Coffee Club has now been running for a year and although numbers are sometimes low those who do attend seem keen for it to continue. It is self-funding apart from the cost of the advert in the Nairnshire Telegraph which is paid from Community Centre funds.
We are keen to get another fitness/exercise group and also a possible crafts/sewing class started and all suggestions will be welcome.
6.Adoption of Reports
Proposed-Cllr Roddy Balfour
Seconded-Wendy Wilson
7.Proposed change to the Constitution
There had been much discussion within the organising committee during the past year concerning two clauses in the Constitution.
The first, Clause 8.7.1, states that one third of the elected members shall retire from office. It was felt this was too onerous on such a small committee and in view of the difficulty in perusading people to come on to the committee. It was therefore proposed that this clause should be deleted.
The second, Clause 8.8, states that no elected member can serve for more than three years consecutively. Again, in view of the small number of committee members it was felt that three years was not long enough and five years would be a more realistic number.
Nominations for new members of the committee will continue to be invited each year.
After a brief discussion the proposal was put to the vote and was carried unanimously.
8.Election of Committee Members
In view of the preceding item, there was just one vacancy on the committee.
Fred Treadgold nominated Wendy Wilson, and this was seconded by Cllr Roddy Balfour. Wendy accepted the nomination was duly elected to serve on the Committee.
9.Co-opted Members
The constitution allows for an additional four members to be co-opted to the Committee if necessary. This will be discussed at the first Committee meeting. Des McCulloch has already indicated he is happy to continue looking after the web site.
10.Questions and Answers
There being no other business tea, coffee, wine and 'nibbles' were available and everyone was thanked for attending.
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